Review: THE CAMELOT CODE by Mari Mancusi

Courtesy Goodreads

The Camelot Code
by Mari Mancusi
Author site
Twitter 

Goodreads summary:

All fourteen-year-old gamer girl Sophie Sawyer wants to do is defeat Morgan Le Fay in her favorite Arthurian videogame. She has no idea the secret code sent via text message is actually a magical spell that will send her back in time to meet up with a real life King Arthur instead. 

Of course Arthur's not king yet--he hasn't pulled the sword from the stone--and he has no idea of his illustrious destiny. And when a twist of fate sends him forward in time--to modern day high school--history is suddenly in jeopardy. Even more so when Arthur Googles himself and realizes what lies in store for him if he returns to his own time--and decides he'd rather try out for the football team instead. 

Now Sophie and her best friend Stuart find themselves in a race against time--forced to use their 21st century wits to keep history on track, battle a real-life version of their favorite videogame villain, and get the once and future king back where he belongs. Or the world, as they know it, may no longer exist.

The Camelot Code is available in e-book and paperback through Amazon or B&N.    I received a digital copy from the lovely Mari herself and what follows is my honest to goodness review.

As an avid gamer, like the protagonist Sophie Sawyer, I enjoy hacking away at my enemies or casting spells to save the day. It's a wonderful escape from reality. However, if I suddenly found myself sucked back in time to the land of Skyrim, where dragons molested towns and the dead walked as skeletons in crypts, I might actually pass out from the sheer terror of it.

Sophie's handling of the situation is somewhat more along the lines of what I would wish to accomplish. She takes the event in stride and does her best to make things right, no matter how crazy they seem to get as the story goes along. As the Goodreads summary adequately explains, this historical, magical time swap is a romp in the park of fun.

I honestly had a blast reading this book. It's not what I typically read these days; I'm more of a darker YA reader/fantasy fan, but the lighthearted humor mixed with friendship and camaraderie as these friends embark on an adventure to save the world is exactly what kids these days need to read. There is just enough romance for the budding teen to giggle over, but not so much as to make it cross that boundary between middle grade and definitive YA territory.

As a 23-year-old graduate student majoring in creative writing, I found The Camelot Code to not only be enjoyable, but also well-written for its target audience, which somehow includes me as well. When I finally finished it I felt giddy like I did when I was twelve. I put down my iPad and simply relished the joy of the story.

Sometimes in this bustling world of books, that feeling is hard to come by. I applaud Mari Mancusi and wish her all the best with her other books (including the Scorched series, which I also now plan to read).


Until next time...

Review of FIREBLOOD and a look at the newest MMO, Elder Scrolls Online

Hello everyone! This post is probably going to be the nerdiest one I've written in a while. And that's saying something. I once rambled about Skyrim and its sheer awesomeness for at least a page. Like the title says, I will be doing two things in this post: 1) Providing a brief review of Fireblood (Whispers from Mirrowen) by Jeff Wheeler 2) Showcasing some sweet screenshots from the Elder Scrolls Online (now that the NDA is relinquished).

Let's get straight to it then!

Courtesy Goodreads

Fireblood is the first in Jeff Wheeler's Whispers from Mirrowen series. It's set in a fantasy world beset with a devastating plague. There is everything you would want from a fantasy series: magic, lore, evil creatures, quests, danger, intrigue, and so much more that I just can't share because it would spoil some of y'all's fun. The characters are multi-faceted, full of personal twists, and absolutely endearing. Yes, even the evil ones have something attractive about them (maybe they're born with it, maybe it's Maybelline?). 

Courtesy Goodreads

The second book of the series, Dryad Born, was just released (on my birthday!) and I can't wait to start it. Fireblood left me right in the middle of a big reveal and gosh darn it I just can't stand waiting!

Maybe I have the Fireblood and just don't know it? I have always wanted that sort of power. But goodness, the responsibility is daunting.

Anyway, that's all I'm going to say for now. As a fantasy fan, I recommend this series. Wheeler does a fantastic job of weaving a believable tale in a believable environment with believable consequences. Even the book covers are nice! In summary: delicious book.


I now summon the gaming nerd in me. Come forth, thou keyboard and mouse-clicking fanatic! Show yourself!

For a while now, I've had the opportunity to Beta test (long term) the newest Bethesda/Zenimax/Havok creation. I'm talking about the massively multiplayer online (MMO) game Elder Scrolls Online or ESO for short. Until recently, I wasn't allowed to talk about my experiences in Beta or take and share screenshots, videos, etc. There was a really strict nondisclosure agreement (NDA) in place and I, for all intents and purposes, always obey rules.

Besides, silence was a small price to pay for testing the game out before its release, and I like to think that I'm a pretty helpful person. I have helped test the game on a public test server (PTS) (I know, there are SO many acronyms), reporting bugs in quests, providing feedback on the forums, and basically stress-testing the server with my incessant questing.

Herein lie my thoughts and some lovely screengrabs of just a few of the places in ESO. (The graphics are amazing, not going to lie.)

The final chamber in Coldharbour's starting quest.
SO MANY CONTAINERS.

In ESO, characters start out in a place called Coldharbour, the home plane of daedric prince Molag Bal. It's a really purple place. Like, really purple. I'm sure Prince would like it. The best thing about Coldharbour is all the random loot you can find in containers. I literally walk around in the large chambers and open every jar, chest, or trunk and take whatevers inside. It might be an ingredient, a lockpick (score!), or even a book that teaches me a new crafting style (double score!).

Depending on which Alliance you've chosen to join, you will end up in different places upon exiting this purple dungeon of doom. Albeit, you will leave with slightly less "soul" than when you entered. Actually, you will not have a soul at all. Cool, huh?

My Khajit character collecting a Skyshard. Getting some soul.

To gain back some of your souliness, you will gather Skyshards in Tamriel.  

<-----Doing so will look like this. It's pretty neat.

Part of what makes ESO so awesome is the fact that you are playing with other people. I love Skyrim and other Elder Scrolls single player games and still do, but it's a whole different experience taking down a dungeon with fellow ESO fans.


Now for some gratuitous screenshots of my characters in ESO.

Crafting is one of my favorite things to do when
I'm not killing things or absorbing Skyshards.

There are books EVERYWHERE to read. So I read them. 

This character has a tattoo and a penchant for killing things
that glow red with her bow. 

So, if you feel like joining the ranks of adventurers such as myself, you can starting on April 4. The game is available for preorder now for Mac, PC, Playstation 4, and Xbox One, but only Mac and PC will be released in April. Console versions will most likely come out in June. If any of you do become ESO players, drop me a line. We can explore the far reaches of Tamriel together, killing all that glows red and tries to kill us. That's the dream, right?

Until next time...

Review (at last): FIRE & FLOOD by Victoria Scott

Photo courtesy Victoria Scott's Facebook page

It's only three days until Victoria Scott's newest YA novel Fire & Flood is released officially to the masses that still read books. About a month ago, I received an ARC of Fire & Flood from Scholastic and subsequently devoured it in one sitting. I meant to write up a review right away, but somehow--as it often happens--I a) forgot b) got distracted c) procrastinated D) any of the above. All would be appropriate options.

However, I seem to have remembered what I set myself out to do that long while ago. A review!

Fire & Flood is probably the best ARC I've read in a while. The premise--that of a giant multi-terrain race where the contestants fight (often literally) to save a member of their families with genetically engineered companions as their partners--is, put simply, brilliant.

When I first heard about Fire & Flood, I was excited about the mere idea of animal companions with special abilities. Theses companions are called Pandoras, and I want one.

Narrated in first person by Contender (the ones participating in the race) Tella Holloway, the story takes us on a journey through thick jungle and rasping desert. We get a glimpse of a world where technology has come far enough to cure disease and create animals with special powers, but where corruption and evil exists in spades.

Human nature is put under the microscope, and every little flaw is examined side by side with the good. Sometimes flaws overwhelmingly win; sometimes the goodness in a person shines through.

And that, I believe, is the highest praise I, or anyone, can give a book. Sure, the action is great, the characters have dialogue both witty and meaningful, and the plot churns along like at a pace that keeps you guessing. But the feelings. The thought-provoking nature of the content--that is where a book becomes more than just words on a page.

I think that Scott has accomplished that in Fire & Flood. At least as far as I am concerned. So ends the review. If you wish to find out if these thoughts and feelings will affect you, I suggest picking up a copy on February 25. I'd appreciate finding out from others if it is as great a book as I think. Feedback is awesome.

Or so I tell the students I lead in peer review sessions. Sometimes feedback is...unpleasant. And I tell them that too. It's always a good idea to hear both sides of the story, don't y'all agree?

Until next time...

Review: THE FRIDAY SOCIETY

Basic information about the book I shall review for you fine people today. 

The Friday Society

Author: Adrienne Kress

• Twitter: @AdrienneKress
• Website
• Goodreads

Publisher: Dial Books
Pages: 440
ISBN: 0803737610

Goodreads' summary:

An action-packed tale of gowns, guys, guns –and the heroines who use them all.  

Set in turn of the century London, The Friday Society follows the stories of three very intelligent and talented young women, all of whom are assistants to powerful men: Cora, lab assistant; Michiko, Japanese fight assistant; and Nellie, magician's assistant. The three young women's lives become inexorably intertwined after a chance meeting at a ball that ends with the discovery of a murdered mystery man. 

It's up to these three, in their own charming but bold way, to solve the murder–and the crimes they believe may be connected to it–without calling too much attention to themselves. 

Set in the past but with a modern irreverent flare, this Steampunk whodunit introduces three unforgettable and very ladylike–well, relatively ladylike–heroines poised for more dangerous adventures.

Full disclosure: I read this book in a deer stand in 45 degree weather. I sat in that stand, cramping up, freezing, hoping a deer would find its way into my patch so I could actually leave the stand before dark fell, but as luck would have it, I spent those 4 hours reading The Friday Society and I'm actually glad I didn't get to shoot anything.

Because guys, this book was awesome. Normally I don't automatically pick up "steampunk" type novels. But lately I've taken to them like a labrador to tennis balls. I can't get enough. It started with Gail Carriger's YA Finishing School series (Etiquette & Espionage and Curtsies & Conspiracies). Then I had to buy her Parasol Protectorate series just because I enjoyed her writing OH SO MUCH. (Haven't read this series yet, but it's sitting pretty in my Kindle app.)

As you folks no doubt can guess and might already know, I have a book purchasing problem, which is where I return to the topic of this post and a recent impulse buy on an "innocent" trip through BAM!: The Friday Society.

The intertwined tale(s) of Cora, Michiko, and Nellie in an alternate version of London, where anything is possible when ingenuity is involved. These girls start off unknown to one another, but as the story progresses, they are inextricably brought together in order to solve crime and save London from nefarious ne'er-do-wells.

Kress writes strong female characters but does not create a world in which their actions do not have consequences. I always find it hard to believe when everything in a novel goes perfectly; I expect consequences. And in The Friday Society, there are just enough to make the antics of the girls believable without overwhelming the humor that Kress weaves into the story.

While I'm fairly new to the steampunk reviewing world, I have come to expect that books of this type must naturally contain a peculiar, wry humor, which infiltrates the dialogue and actions of the characters. I like it. It's witty. And I love witty. Therefore, if you, like me, like witty characters with pithy and quippy dialogue sequences, then you shall like The Friday Society as much, maybe even more than (though I doubt it), I do.

Final thoughts: The Friday Society is a smashingly excellent example of a book. And if the ending is any indication, I hope to see a sequel pop up sometime in the near future. That would just be delightful.

3 Book Reviews, 1 Giveaway: THE CHAOS OF STARS, REBOOT, and SIEGE AND STORM

This blog post is going to be a three-in-one sort of deal, but to reward anyone for reading three reviews (which I hope y’all do because these books are great), I am also giving away an ARC of The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White. And without further ado, let the reviewing begin!


The Chaos of Stars
Author: Kiersten White
Publisher: HarperTeen (imprint of HarperCollins Publishers)
Publication Date: September 9, 2013
Pages: 228

I believe in magic. A childhood growing up reading Harry Potter and waving sticks like wands has not been cancelled out by age and the real world. Experience continues to press me further into the embrace of the otherworldly, and perhaps that is why I found The Chaos of Stars to be a breath of fresh air in the realm of mythical books written for teens.

(Full disclosure: I haven’t read the Percy Jackson series. So no judgies.)

However, The Chaos of Stars doesn’t feel like those books. It isn’t a series. The danger isn’t some evil figure out to destroy the world. It’s a book about family and the bonds between loved ones (and not so loved ones).

Isadora may be the daughter of gods but she isn’t powerful; in fact, she’s mortal. This book is less a retelling of myth and more a natural exploration of how myths have adapted to change and now live quiet lives among unsuspecting humans. And it’s fascinating.

I believed every second of it and that, I think, is the highest praise I can give any book. Just like I believe that my house is hidden by some kind of strange magic from the owls carrying my Hogwarts letter, I believe in the mythology that White has used so well in weaving Isadora’s story.



Reboot
Author: Amy Tintera
Publisher: HarperTeen
Available Now
Pages: 365

I did a semi-review a few posts ago, so if I repeat anything, I don’t care. That said, Reboot is everything the author blurbs on the covers say it is.

“Fast-paced and thrilling—I devoured this book!” –Veronica Rossi (Under the Never Sky)

“A bone-breaking heroine fights for her life, her love, and what remains of her humanity in this fresh take on a world gone wrong.” –Lissa Price (Starters)

Wren 178 is a no nonsense character. As a child, she contracted the deadly KDH virus (kind of like a modified zombie virus) and during a supposed break-in was shot three times in the chest and killed along with her parents. Once dead, she rose 178 minutes later as a Reboot. Her role in the world after that became much simpler: follow orders.

She exists as a tool for the Human Advancement and Repopulation Corporation (HARC) to hunt down criminals and rogue Reboots. Because it took 178 minutes for her to “wake up,” Wren is super fast and super strong. The longer a Reboot is “dead” equals the strength of a Reboot once he or she awakens. I must admit, I find this semi-zombie virus style epidemic and resulting super humans to be a fascinating concept.

Part of Wren’s job is to train new Reboots, and the narrative really picks up once Wren gets her new trainee: Callum 22. He’s the lowest number she’s ever trained and it is her decision to train him that thrusts her into new territory and propels the Bourne-paced action of the story. I flinched a few times to be honest. Wren 178 really is a “bone-breaking heroine.”

My only niggling qualm about Reboot is about the pacing near the end. Everything seems to happen all at once, things falling into place miraculously (or so it appeared to me) one after the other. Click, click, click into neat stacks. It’s not a bad ending, but it isn’t a “Wow, would you look at that!” ending either. It’s…adequate, particularly since there will be more to follow.

Despite that, I can confidently say that I do recommend Reboot and I hope you all read it at some point or another because I have a feeling it might be made into a movie, a la The Hunger Games. Or at the least a TV show. Like I said, the KDH virus premise is just too appealing to pass up. If I were a producer (*cough* Joss Whedon *cough*), I’d snap it up in a heartbeat.

(*eyes Hollywood*)



And finally…


Siege and Storm
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company
Available Now
Pages: 432

It doesn’t happen often but I’m at a loss for words. How shall I begin to talk about this second installment in The Grisha Trilogy? Ummm, well, I read it today in about three hours and once I finished I had to wait 30 minutes before I was able to tweet anything comprehensible.

Sometimes books affect me that way. I squeak when I try to summarize them to people, stumble over the plot points, and wave my hands to try to gesture-describe what my mouth can’t. It’s a strange state, I give you that, but it’s part of who I am.

Siege and Storm is one of those books, along with any Harry Potter, The Night Circus, and any Shannon Hale novel. There are a few others, but y’all don’t need a comprehensive list of topics that make me tongue-tied.

If you’re a Shadow and Bone fan but haven’t read Siege and Storm, then let me say this: buy it but don’t read it until the last book, Ruin and Rising, is released because it’s TORTURE having to wait. My brain is leaving claw marks on the inside of my skull because I have to wait until June 5, 2014 to find out what happens next. Just look at the first few “reviews” on Goodreads and all the GIF sets that I want to use are there.

Now that I’ve rambled, for, like, ever, I suppose I can actually provide somewhat of a summary/review. Ahem.

After Alina Starkov escapes the sexy clutches of The Darkling with equally sexy Mal, she tries to put her life back together while on the run. Of course, this can’t last and Alina is forced to assume her role as the Sun Summoner and as the only person in the world who is capable of standing up to the malicious (and handsome) force of The Darkling. There are new perils in this continuation of The Grisha Trilogy and Alina must make some difficult decisions, about power, about love, and about herself. The hunt is on for powerful artifacts and for a resolution to the power struggle in Ravka and the mysterious Fold. Darkness is gaining ground, but can Alina, the conflicted Sun Summoner with a growing cult following, hold back its sway over the land?

Whew. What a summary.


I feel like I need to give something away now. Just fill out the Rafflecopter survey below to earn entries and you might just win an ARC of The Chaos of Stars! Yay! It goes without saying that the contest is only viable in the continental U.S. and Canada. Remember, college student=no money. Best of luck guys!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Happy Book Birthday to Kelsey Sutton!!! + Review of THE BROKENHEARTED

A happiest of book birthdays to my friend Kelsey Sutton and her debut novel Some Quiet Place! Coming up soon there will be a guest post from Kelsey (July 17) and I'm so excited to see what she will have for us! I know it has something to do with Emotions and if you haven't read Some Quiet Place yet you definitely should! A few posts ago I participated in the cover reveal for SQP and I'm thrilled to also be in the blog tour this month that Gabriella is hosting at the Modgepodge Bookshelf! She created a lovely blog tour button that I just have to share now even though it's not my "turn" in the tour.







Feel free to snag it and put it on your sidebars! I know it's simply lovely.






Anyway, I feel like it's time for me to get to the second part of this post, which is a short review of an ARC of The Brokenhearted by Amelia Kahaney. I snagged this ARC from my local independent bookstore (along with three others, so expect reviews of those as well) and I plan to give it away as a part of this post. Appropriate, I think, considering it's SQP's birthday.

Here are the specs for The Brokenhearted:
Pub Date: Oct 8, 2013
Publisher: HarperTeen
Hardcover, 320 pages
ISBN: 0062230921
Official Website for Amelia Kahaney

Synopsis:
Anthem Fleet is the ultimate society girl or at least she should be. Her father--a real estate tycoon--is fabulously wealthy and powerful and her mother is a beauty queen turned socialite. They have it all, the penthouse, the cars, the perfect straight-A ballerina daughter. Until Anthem makes a series of decisions that change her life forever and propel her into a role she had not practiced for her entire life, but one that she chooses to accept regardless.

The setting is Bedlam City, a novelistic place reminiscent of Gotham, and I think it's meant to evoke that same darker urban feeling that the most recent Batman films have captured so perfectly. There are slums--South Side--where criminals of the Syndicate deal in drugs, guns, theft, and body parts for those willing to undergo surgery in the most disreputable of places.

But despite that darkness, the people of the South Side want to believe in a better future, one where the city isn't divided by a river known as the Crime Line, and one where police don't conduct raids with Fear Gas and beat those people not afraid to protest the corruption.

Initially, I found The Brokenhearted to be a bit slow, but once I grew accustomed to the world and the pace picked up, I couldn't put it down. Much like the cover says, once Anthem's "heart stopped" her "life started" and so did the action in the novel. From simply looking at the cover, one might assume that this book is of the steampunk genre, but in my humble opinion, I don't think I'd classify it as such. There are more elements of the superhero type of narrative particularly with regards to Batman-esque type of social avenger, but I suppose you'll have to read it to find out.

To help one lucky reader towards that goal, I will be giving this ARC away! Fill out the Rafflecopter entries below and cross your fingers! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: THRONE OF GLASS

Obviously, folks, I can't stick to schedules. I told myself I was going to blog dutifully and alas I have not. Oh well. I do have a terrific book to discuss with you all today though!

Title: Throne of Glass
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 404 (406 including Acknowledgements)
Time It Took to Read: ~4 hours
One Word to Describe Book:

FREAKINGSPECTACULAWESOMESAUCENESS

In case any of you are wondering, yes that is a word. It comes right after Forgetaboutit in the dictionary. I love this book so much that I even made a GIF of me fondling turning the cover.

The summary of the book goes a little like this:

In a world without magic (How sad), an assassin (!!!) is summoned to the castle. (It's made of glass! Freaky!) She comes not to kill the vicious king who rules from his throne of glass (Yay! Title!) but to win her freedom (Oooo, motive!). If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors (Fighting! I love fighting!) in a competition, she will be released from prison to serve as the King's Champion (Kind of catch-22, so...tension!). Her name is Celaena Sardothien.
The Crown Prince will provoke her (Le grrr). The Captain of the Guard will protect her (Again, le grrr). And a princess from a faraway land will befriend her (Yay for friendship!). But something evil dwells in the castle (Oh no!)--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival (Multilayered excitement!)--and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world (Magic never dies!). 

Celaena kind of reminds me of Tamora Pierce's heroines mixed with the kickass leading ladies of Lilith Saintcrow's novels, both adult and YA. She has enough vulnerability to remind readers that she is a girl, but she never once doubts her abilities. I can't wait until Crown of Midnight is published (this fall! Eeek!) because I know there are facets to her that have yet to be shown, especially where her origins are concerned. I could go on for a couple more blog posts about how much I enjoyed reading Throne of Glass but I won't. I want y'all to read it for yourselves.

To tide me and anyone else who is a fan of Celaena over until Crown of Midnight, Sarah J. Maas has four e-novellas available about the life Celaena led prior to being a prisoner in the Endovier salt mines. More information on those can be found on her website or by clicking this link. I know I'll read them very soon.

Until next time...

Scarlet and The Diviners

Over Spring Break I went on a whirlwind of reading, if reading two books in a week can be considered a whirlwind. According to my inner voice, it isn't, but if you look at my reading history for the past few months, it certainly looks like it.

On to the good stuff. As you can tell from the title (which kinda sounds like an awesome band name), I read Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (second installment of The Lunar Chronicles) and The Diviners by Libba Bray. Both were absolutely fantastic and totally worth the time I spent not writing my thesis. (Don't tell my mentor.)

courtesy Goodreads.com

Scarlet picks up where Cinder left off, with Cinder in custody of the Eastern Commonwealth and about to be handed over to the Lunars and the evil Queen Levana. Dum, dum, dum. Scarlet follows two principle main characters (Linh Cinder and Scarlet Benoit), and as the title implies, the fairytale of Little Red Riding Hood is given a much-needed update. I simply adore the way the two narratives are woven together and ultimately united.

Plus, Wolf gives me goosebumps. In a good way. *shivers* I LOVE this twist to the original. However, no spoilers. Pinky promise.

By the end of the novel, Cinder and Scarlet are poised to begin the next chapter in their altered lives, and I absolutely can't wait to see what Meyer has in store for us in the next two books, titled Cress and Winter respectively. Can't. Wait.

courtesy Goodreads.com

Moving on to The Diviners and switching gears from moon magic and fairytales to magic of a more sinister and mysterious nature. Evie O'Neill has a gift, but so far it has been a curse to her social life. That is until she goes too far at a party, and is "banished" to New York City to stay with her Uncle Will, proprietor of "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies," more professionally known as The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult. Needless to say, Evie is thrilled and determined to make the most of her time in the Big Apple.

I am a huge fan of Bray's other series, the Gemma Doyle trilogy, which incorporated a historical time period with elements of the mystical and occult. Therefore I was fairly confident of liking this newest endeavor. I was not disappointed.

Much like Bray did with Gemma, she created a character in Evie who has flaws, but who also has redeeming qualities, making us really believe in the story and her development. The exposition is also phenomenal. I read descriptions of New York and the wind over and over, just because I enjoyed the way each sentence created an atmosphere. I could feel the essence of the book and it sucked me into its embrace, tantalizing my senses with images of dark alleyways behind speakeasies, women in flapper dresses, and  an overwhelming sensation of Something-is-going-to-happen-and-it-won't-be-good.

The mystery is suspenseful, but not taxingly so. The characters are vibrant and I secretly think they are real.

And there you have it folks. Hopefully I'll post more reviews soon or at least something written or otherwise. I'm feeling the ticking of the clock most potently lately, with my thesis deadline looming closer and graduation in May. It's maddening in a way. This is me imagining a world without my thesis.

I do too, Liz. I do too. 

Actually, just about any of the gifs on #seniorthesisproblems Tumblr are applicable to my state of mind. Y'all have no idea how much joy I got from reveling in these gifs today. So much bitter joy. *chucklesob*

I hope everything has just been dandy here in Blogland. Feel free to update me on what awesome things I've missed since I've been terribly absent. Nothing like feeling worse to make one feel better, as I always say.

Until next time...

Review of "The Crown of Embers"

I wrote a review a week or so ago for The Vanguard, and I just want to share it with y'all. I don't have time to write another review of The Crown of Embers specifically for this blog, but if y'all want to see what I had to say (in AP Style, no less) about this second novel by Rae Carson (@raecarson), then please hop on over here to "Carson's 'The Crown of Embers' burns bright."

I hadn't planned on writing a review for The Crown of Embers at all, simply because I don't really have time right now, but my friend Jake needed another article for the JagLife section and I wanted to help him out.

As a past JagLife Editor, I know what it's like to have writers not turn in articles by deadline. It makes one crazy. Crazy enough to kill. So to prevent any more deaths, I read The Crown of Embers in two hours and wrote an article directly after. Super speed-reading Bailey to the rescue!

I know it may sound funny, but I love the fact that the quote on the cover is by Rachel Hawkins (@LadyHawkins), and she perfectly summed up my feelings about the book in three words: "I adored it."

So there you have it. I actually managed to write another review without meaning to write another review. Fantastic!

Until next time...

(And yes, I realize this is my second post today. I'm being oddly blog post prolific today for some reason.)

"Grave Mercy" at Last

These no longer exist.

Since it's pretty early in the day for me to be doing anything, here is a picture of my breakfast. I cannot function at this hour without copious amounts of coffee and sugary things.

These little beauties are mini raspberry filled donuts. When I saw them sitting with the other baked goods, I knew we were meant to be together. And for that, I thank Publix.

Moving on.

It's been a while since I read Grave Mercy, but I still have a few things to say about it. From looking at the cover, I got the overall impression that the story would be along the lines of Buffy the Vampire Slayer during medieval times: a girl in a red dress holding a crossbow while looking forlornly, yet steadily, off into the distance. Sounds pretty slayerish, right?  

courtesy Goodreads.com

But I was wrong. There is something of the supernatural in the book but it doesn't have anything to do with vampires or werewolves. For some reason, this made me very happy. I guess I'm just tired of the vamp/wolf storyline. 

*intermission of approximately 3 million years*

And now it's been a longer while since I've read Grave Mercy. I wish I had some awesome story about how I got abducted by aliens and couldn't finish this post until I saved their home world from dire straits. Actually, I wish I could remember what I've done the past week and a half that's prevented me from writing the rest of this post. I'm drawing a huge blank. For some reason my only memories are of watching the final rose ceremony of The Bachelorette last night. (Yay for Jef!)

Anyway,  here goes nothing. 

I give Grave Mercy four out of five bookends for overall greatness. The plot is well-paced, the characters have fleshiness, and the world is built of steel beams and granite. My only qualm was with the MC, Ismae, and her attitude at times. She can be really dumb (in my opinion) about things that are no-brainers. 

But I digress. I just have problems with over the top stubbornness. (Says the stubborn girl.)

However, don't let that little quibble of mine stop you from reading Grave Mercy. It's a great read and has earned a permanent place on one of my steadily filling bookshelves.

Until next time...

"The Near Witch" Reviewed

Well, I finally found time to write this review at least. The Boyfriend has gone back for another month of Army things and now I have time on my hands again. When he's here I tend to...not do anything productive unless it includes cooking recipes I find on Pinterest. We're crazy like that. I wrote a review (not a very long or opinionated one) for The Vanguard about The Near Witch but it hasn't been printed yet. So, I'm going to write another one. Yay!

I was lucky enough to win a copy from @BookReverie with a signed bookmark. I love blog contests. Really, I do.


I read The Near Witch in about two hours. That's a good thing. I couldn't put it down. I think I may have even missed dinner. I can't remember. All I can recall was the sheer awesomeness of the story.

Schwab is a GENIUS. I love fairytales in general, and The Near Witch is like reading all of the Grimm tales but BETTER. Magic, witches, dark mystery, spooky setting, and a romance that doesn't end with someone being sacrificed. Or does it? Muahaha.

In addition to being a great storyteller, Schwab also has magic writing fingers. The words seem to flow and sing like the wind on the moors, a wild and inspiring thing. When a book is this aesthetically and visually pleasing, then you know you have something special. Reading becomes a joy and the words envelop you in...in...words. Well, that was deep.

Let me explain. It goes without saying that I like to read books that are well-written. Let's all say, "Duh!" Books that are the mental equivalent of eating broken glass or hearing nails on a chalkboard usually don't get such glowing reviews. Or if they do, the reviewer is obviously insane or lying. Or both.

What was I saying?

Oh right, good books. I like them. A lot. But what I really like is when a book is made with the best of ingredients. Word choice is a big player in this dynamic. The right word or selection of words can make or break an image for a reader. You can be reading along without a care in the world and then BAM! you run face first into an awkward phrase or something equally disturbing, like a misplaced/missing comma (Okay, I'm projecting my own issues with grammar usage onto this topic). That book is now tinged from that encounter.

In moments like that, I usually heave a large sigh and wish that I could somehow edit every book before it went to the printing press. However, that's not going to happen (although it would be my dream job) so I just have to content myself with making a tally and holding the bitterness I feel towards those problems deep inside. repress repress repress

Sometimes though, a book has the It factor. All of the qualities that make up a well-written book meld with the story itself to create a book worth reading. And that is what The Near Witch is.

Would you look at that? I managed to tie that rambling stuff up there into a conclusion that also related back to the original intent of this post. Success!

Until next time...

A Trip Through DRAGONSWOOD

Dragonswood

by Janet Lee Carey

goodreads.com

Published January 5th 2012 by Dial

Goodreads summary:

Wilde Island is not at peace. The kingdom mourns the dead Pendragon king and awaits the return of his heir; the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is strained; and the regent is funding a bloodthirsty witch hunt, hoping to rid the island of half-fey maidens. 

Tess, daughter of a blacksmith, has visions of the future, but she still doesn't expect to be accused of witchcraft, forced to flee with her two best friends, or offered shelter by the handsome and enigmatic Garth Huntsman, a warden for Dragonswood. But Garth is the younger prince in disguise and Tess soon learns that her true father was fey, making them the center of an exciting, romantic adventure, and an ancient prophecy that will bring about peace between all three races - dragon, human, and fairy.

 So...based upon that summary, one would assume that Dragonswood would be full of adventure, preferably the "exciting, romantic" kind. Is it? Not really. It pains me to say that because I was fervently hoping that it would suddenly wow me. However, each page failed to bring that spark that I've come to expect from anything I read. You know the feeling. It's a quickness of breath, an irresistible need to read more and more, a fanatic search in the shelves of your local bookstore for the next in a series.

True book lovers know what I'm trying to say. We all have this addiction to literature in our veins and we're always looking for our next fix.

Dragonswood failed to satisfy my craving. I'm not saying that it's a bad book. It has its moments and I think that Janet Lee Carey is a good writer. But...

It could have been so much more. Personally, I feel that Dragonswood would have been much better suited as a series so that Carey could really explore the vastness of the world she crammed into only 407 pages. When you throw fairies, dragons, witches, and the historical Pendragons into a story, you need to have a LOT of room to allow those separate entities to breath and move about.

Take Saberhagen's The First Swords series for example. (Actually, there are tons of examples I could list.)

The entire novel was rushed. From the very beginning, I didn't feel like I got a good grasp of the pace. Things happen boom, boom, boom, putting Tess in situations that don't feel real. I actually said at one point, "This doesn't feel real." Out loud.

That's about the point that I stopped reading and didn't pick the book up again until a few days later. I was close to giving up entirely. And that doesn't happen very often guys. I like to give all books a chance. So I kept reading.

I'm not going to say this book is one of the best I've read this year. But I can't say it's the worst. It has its moments (is it sad that I can't think of one to mention?) and a lot of potential. But that's about it.

If you're feeling like you want to give Dragonswood a chance despite my review, then I say more power to you. Who knows? Maybe it's just me and the book is really awesome. I certainly hope that's the case.

Until next time...

Dark Goddess (It's Not Chocolate. Sorry.)

So, I actually finished Dark Goddess about a week ago, I think, but I just haven't been able to corral myself into writing a review. I don't know what's wrong with me. *gives self stern look* But I've managed to do it today!

Dark Goddess is book two by Sarwat Chadda (his blog) about the Templar squire, Billi SanGreal. Billi is a teenage girl in an order of men whose holy purpose in life is to destroy the unholy forces of evil. Sounds great, right?

In book one, The Devil's Kiss, Billi must face a fallen angel and the loss of someone very dear to her.

Dark Goddess picks up in the aftermath of that trial and thrusts Billi into the frozen wastes of Russia to stop an ancient force bent on destroying humanity. With the help of fellow Templars and the lost heir to the throne of Russia (a descendent of Anastasia), Billi fights a battle not only for her world, but for her very soul.

Dark and dangerous paths lead Billi on her fast-paced journey, and Dark Goddess does not disappoint as a second novel. In fact, I think I quite prefer it over The Devil's Kiss, but perhaps that's just the ravages of time on my memory again.

Anyway, I can finally cross this review off my list and move on to the next book in the Queue Up for Review!

Until next time....

Burnt to Cinders

courtesy Goodreads.com

It seems like only yesterday I was announcing that Cinder was the next book on the queue for a review. Wait a second...it was only yesterday! I seem to have regained my ability to read a book in a mere two hours and let me tell y'all, it was quite the read. Please direct your attention to the Goodreads summary below.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, the ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .  

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Whew. What a summary. When I bought the book a few months ago (I know, I know), I saw the cover and thought to myself, "Gee, that looks like something I'd like." Shame on me for not making time right then to read it because Cinder is probably one of the best books I've read in a while, and I don't say that lightly.

Marissa Meyer, author extraordinaire, has created a vibrant world with a story that hijacks your brain and takes it for a joy ride. In all honesty, I'm a sucker for retellings of fairy tales, but I've never seen Cinderella's story taken in such an awesome direction. This Cinder is tough, street smart, and far more interesting than the original. Sorry Bros Grimm. And Walt. This day was bound to come eventually.

Plus, how can you resist the added twist of a race living on the moon with an evil queen bent on conquering and enslaving earth? Ummm, mixing science fiction with fairy tales has got to be the best cross-pollination in literary history.

I'm only sad it didn't last longer. That said, I can't wait until the next book is released. It's going to continue Cinder's story and introduce us to Scarlet, aka Little Red Riding Hood. Appropriately enough, this second installment in the Lunar Chronicles will be titled Scarlet. Sadly, Scarlet will not be published until next February.

However, it won't hurt y'all any to get a jump start on its release by reading Cinder. In fact, I highly recommend y'all do. Immediately. I totally would post the book trailer that the publisher made for this book, but...it stinks so I didn't want to subject y'all to that. I'm going to be posting a video reaction to Cinder later today on my YouTube channel as well. In fact, I think I may just make a better book trailer. Hmmmm....I guess y'all will just have to wait and see what I decide.

Until next time...

Censorship and My One Year Blogiversary

Tomorrow is the Internetwide blackout strike to oppose the PIPA Bill that, if passed, will effectively allow the government to censor the Internet.

Anyway, as y'all can see, there have been a few small additions to the blog due to the whole "censorship" thing. Don't worry, they won't be there forever. If they were, I'd run the risk of forgetting what my blog is called. We can't have that.

Also, next month, February 25 to be exact, is my One Year Blogiversary! I never even dreamed of making it that long and of meeting so many awesome people along the way. This has really been a great year and and I want to thank all of y'all for that.

Believe it or not, I really do look like a chipmunk when I'm super happy. That was actually my nickname when I played basketball as a kid. "Watch out other team! Chipmunk is coming onto the court!"

I was FIERCE. 

Anywho, I just thought I should let y'all know about those few things, since it means I won't be participating in the RTW (again) this week. :( Time for a sad GIF. 

Regardless, I will be back! Soon. Ish. With a book review! 

Until next time...

ARC Review of BITTERBLUE by Kristin Cashore

Just yesterday I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of Bitterblue, which is due out in May, and I stayed up until 3 a.m. reading half of it and then finished it when I woke up...a few hours ago. :-) I'm sorry for not doing a video review, but at the moment, my hair is wet and I'm trying to function without coffee.

Y'all are lucky I'm capable of typing coherently... On to the review!

Bitterblue is the sequel to Graceling and a companion to Fire, both wonderful novels by Kristin Cashore.

Here is the Goodreads summary:

Eight years after Graceling, Bitterblue is now queen of Monsea.  

But the influence of her father, a violent psychopath with mind-altering abilities, lives on. Her advisors, who have run things since Leck died, believe in a forward-thinking plan: Pardon all who committed terrible acts under Leck’s reign, and forget anything bad ever happened.  

But when Bitterblue begins sneaking outside the castle—disguised and alone—to walk the streets of her own city, she starts realizing that the kingdom has been under the thirty-five-year spell of a madman, and the only way to move forward is to revisit the past.  

Two thieves, who only steal what has already been stolen, change her life forever. They hold a key to the truth of Leck’s reign. And one of them, with an extreme skill called a Grace that he hasn’t yet identified, holds a key to her heart.

As a fan of Cashore's work and her previous novels, I salivated at the thought that I was getting to read her next novel early. Sometimes I wonder at my priorities. Anyway, despite missing a few key parts as ARC's are wont to do (no maps, booooooo), I came away from my contact with the kingdom of Monsea with a new appreciation for the depth of the Graced world.

I'm not sure if Bitterblue is my favorite The Seven Kingdoms novel--I have a soft spot for Fire--but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Cashore is a wizard with description and creates a world rife with interesting characters and intriguing mysteries.

One of the most important aspects of all of Cashore's books, in my opinion, is the unflinching approach she takes to difficult subjects. The entire kingdom of Monsea has undergone 35 years of hardship and torture at the hands of King Leck (one of the worst villains I've ever hated), and Bitterblue has to come into her own as a queen of a confused and healing people. It isn't easy and, as a reader, I felt like I was suffering from the same type of post traumatic Leck disorder as everyone within the pages.

There is intrigue, murder, puzzles, love, but most of all, there is hope. Cashore doesn't believe in overly sappy endings, and I'm glad. Bitterblue's story is better without that. Watching the characters grow and explore what it means to heal is a great gift. It's a bonus that the fantasy world is amazing as well.

I give Bitterblue 4 out of 5 stars. So, when May comes around, I hope y'all pop on over to your local bookstore and snag a copy. I guarantee you'll find something worthwhile between the pages.

As a token of my gratitude for y'all being amazing blog friends, I'm going to give away my ARC of Bitterblue in true blog fashion.

Rules:
Simply comment on this post for one entry.

And spread the news about the giveaway any way you feel necessary! Tweet, blog, Facebook, etc. Leave the direct link in your comment and I'll give you an extra entry!

I'm going to give y'all approximately 24 hours to enter and then I'll put your names in random.org and draw a winner!

Now, if you're not in the United States, I'm sorry, but I will not be able to send it to you. :( I'm only a poor college student so I hope you'll understand. Anyone in the U.S. and Canada is welcome to try their hand at the game. I think my pocketbook can stretch that far.

Also, please be sure to leave me some way of getting in touch with you in case you do win. An email address would be perfect.

Until next time...

Two Reviews and a Butterbeer Kind of New Year

I'm so sorry to have been away so long, my friends, but I've just been so busy with things that today is the first time I've been able to check my blog since New Year's Eve. Honestly, I'm just glad that all the holiday parts of winter break are over. Now I can just concentrate on doing what I want to do.

Here's the next video review (it's double the normal content) so I hope y'all enjoy it.



I tried to condense the reviews, but I'm not sure it worked out that well. I really need to learn to plan before I start recording. I always have to cut long ramblings out because the videos end up being too long. I still feel like they're too long even after I've finished cutting and trimming the fat.

And I also feel like I don't ever get around to actually reviewing the books. The videos feel more like reactions. Perhaps I need to start calling them that...hmmm...

Daughter of Smoke and Bone was my favorite of the two books. I think it was because there weren't any needles like in Across the Universe. However, I felt more strongly for Amy and Elder than I did for Karou and Akiva. I can come up with no rational explanation for this. Really. My brain-heart works in strange ways.

I don't usually discuss the romance or plot of a book because I feel like it's something other readers are best left to discover for themselves, but I will say this: both of these books will challenge you to re-examine your ideas and conceptual frameworks of love and you will ache in your bones because of it. That is all.

Oh and don't worry, I haven't forgotten to provide the link to the Butterbeer recipes.
Recipe of the Week: Butterbeer. 
If y'all see my friend Jake, y'all can thank him for linking me to the recipes on Mugglenet.com. I just love fellow Potter fans. They're so ingenious. And now I know how to make Butterbeer three different ways! Oh the indescribable joy!

Here are some photos of me enjoying Butterbeer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (Harry Potter Land). Enjoy! (I know I sure did!)

First glass at The Three Broomsticks!

Waiting for second glass at The Hog's Head.
The hog head on the wall moves and grunts!

Second cuppa Butterbeer in the pavilion
behind The Three Broomsticks/The Hog's Head. 

DEARLY, DEPARTED Review

So, someday I will finally get the hang of not babbling like a loon when I'm trying to do a review of a book on camera. I feel like I'm getting better, but perhaps that's just me.

Here is the long awaited review of Lia Habel's Dearly, Departed. I just saw that the series title is Gone with the Respiration. Nice. That just made Ms. Habel go even further up my list of favorite people/authors.



A few things that I didn't cover in the video--I knew I'd forget something--were the cover, the wonderful pop and past culture references within the book, the multiple narratives used, and the history of the world as seen in Dearly, Departed.

The cover is lovely in a dark, gothic sort of way. I love both of those adjectives, so of course I had to buy the book. Habel has a witty writing style, quips and references come easily in the flow of the narrative. In fact, her use of multiple narrators to tell the story makes all of those cultural references seem effortless.

Although it feels to me as if Nora is the main character, Habel didn't limit the novel to just one MC. The book is broken up into many chapters told through the first person account of a different character.

Nora, Bram, Pamela, Dr. Dearly, and Captain Wolfe all have chapters in which they tell the story from their differing points of view. At first, it was a little odd, but I grew to love it. Even though Captain Wolfe isn't my favorite character and he doesn't get as much "air time" as Nora, Bram, or Pamela, it was interesting to get to see things from his perspective.

Also, the backstory for New Victoria and the Punk territories is wonderfully told. I'm not going to give much more away, but I enjoyed reading about how it all came about.

That's all for this post, but just keep one sleepy eye open for my next review. I'm still undecided which book I'm going to have a showdown with so...surprise?

Until next time...

BLOOD RED ROAD Review

THERE ARE SPOILERS. I KNOW FOR SURE THERE IS ONE, BUT THERE MAY BE MORE. CONSIDER YOURSELVES WARNED.



SO, there's been a lot of comments lately about people wanting my Star Wars mug. I've become paranoid enough to hide it.

Good luck finding it to steal it. As you can see, I have not failed in my vlogging project yet. Day Two and I'm still allowing this to continue.

The next book on my hit list is Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel with Monster Blood Tattoo by D. M. Cornish coming in second. I'm hoping to finish them both tomorrow.

However, seeing as it's Eggnog Day tomorrow, I may not be capable of fulfilling that goal. Eggnog Day for my family means all the ladies of the family come over, as well as other lady friends we've known forever or who we may consider family ladies as well, and we make the most alcoholic eggnog ever. I'll probably have a post dedicated simply to eggnog tomorrow. There may not be a video though. I'm sure y'all understand why.

Until next time...

Idea for the Break

This post is brought to you by a study break. Study breaks. The only things keeping college students sane during finals week. Take yours today!

Hey folks! So, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I'm going to do over my break because it's one of the rewards I give myself for actually doing work. I know for a true-blue fact that I'm going to be doing a MAJOR amount of catch-up reading that I've missed since the semester took over my life, but it seems to me like I should do something to celebrate each book that I knock off the list.

But what?

There are so many options. I could go the traditional route of writing a book review for each one. Those usually turn out alright.

Or...I don't know. This next option may be a little too "out there" for even me. Heck, I'll let y'all decide! I hate decisions anyway.

What if I did vlogs once every few days to "review" the books that I've read?

Would any of you watch them? Would I want to do them? Am I making any sense?

Technically, I'm qualified to make videos of myself. I took a class on it and everything. If y'all are real stalkers, you've probably already found the videos of me on YouTube talking about education. But I'm not encouraging anyone to watch those.

As it is, this idea is still in the "what if I did make book vlogs" stage. Any feedback from y'all will be taken thoroughly into consideration, even if you think I should stick to writing. (There's a rather large part of me that thinks that as well; probably the part writing this parenthetical statement.)

Until next time...